Good and Bad Guests on Silver Dollar City's Train - Ep 71 Confessions of a Theme Park Worker
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- Опубликовано: 12 дек 2024
- We would have thousands of guests a day on the train, but some were more memorable than most- for good and bad reasons! Here's a few of the guest actions that were memorable- the good and the bad. And a special connection I had with one of our engineers.
A behind the scenes look at what a former worker at Disney World, Silver Dollar City, and Busch Gardens Florida experienced in his time working at the parks. From driving large safari trucks around live wild animals while cracking one silly joke after another, to spending 5 years as a PhotoPass photographer at Walt Disney World and seeing and experiencing all sorts of things, to being a conductor and train robber on the famous Frisco Silver Dollar Line at Silver Dollar City. With 10 years of working in the parks, there's lots of stories to tell. Here is some of them...
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I have to say, you nail a lot of points on this. Us railfans are all over. People that run these things normally do this for the hobby. A steam engine is one of those machines that can capture feelings, and almost expresses them. If you push a locomotive too hard, it will let you know. If you ignore it for a few minutes, it will remind you. A steam locomotive is unlike any other machine to run.
If you want to ride on an authentic, coal fired steam train, I’m sure there are plenty across United States, but I worked at Tweetsie Railroad, just outside of Boone, North Carolina and they had two engines, one from 1917, and a “newer” one from 1940(?) both still using coal and belching black smoke and soot everywhere, the Wild West show is fun, but honestly just riding on the train is an event in and of itself. And the way that whistle echoes through the mountains sends a chill down your spine. Many locals there know when they’re using 190 or old #12 by the sound of the whistle.
I havent been to Tweetsie yet (I will sometime), but I have been on Dollywoods and a couple of others. :-)
12:00 I don't know Dick Finn but I've seen his engine thousands of times. I'm part of a model railroad in Branson
He put his engine on display there.
That engine is a special one. I think that might be the one he used to run in Sacramento, buy im not positive
When I was in 2nd - 5th grade I only ride 2 things! Train and Flooded mine. I loved the train so much everyday I would ride 3 or more times I loved it. Thank you for the memories.
I confess, I am a devout, dyed-in-the-wool train nerd and have been since about 1949, when I was 3 years old and saw my first real train. My granddad was an engineer for the L&N for most of his 51 year career there. As a kid I loved to ride on the MTC G-16 at Fair Park in Nashville. Later, in my early 20's, I often ran the very first C.P. Huntington at Joyland Park in Wichita. Sadly, neither of those parks exist any more. And I know I have told you about running the 15" gauge Crown steamer at Little Toot Railroad. Another icon of my lifelong love of trains is coming back to life soon. The beautiful 4-8-4 locomotive that stood for 64 years in Centennial Park in Nashville is being restored now and there are plans to run it in excursion service on a 100 mile route running east from Nashville. See www.nashvillesteam.org for the whole story.
I was born in Wichita (1957) and used to go to Joyland all the time. The Chance Mfg. train was a fun ride going under the Cyclone (?) coaster. On one trip, the new engineer was so excited to be running on her own that she was constantly blowing the whistle. Everything was good until she tried to stop at the station and we blew right through. Back then the trains used straight air which caused the brakes to set when you applied pressure to the system.. They now use the automatic system like the big ones. We got two trips around though! My favorite was the live steamer that ran at the back of the park. It shared a rail running behind the bumper cars if I recall correctly. Strangest dual gauge ever.
My dad is a huge train fan! He's actually a lifetime member of the Los Angeles Live Steamers. It was great fun going for train rides on his trains as a kid (and it still is) - and once we were old enough, we got to run the engine, with his guidance, of course. I have great memories of the night runs, where my sister and I each had a car to ourselves, which fit us perfectly, and we could lie down and watch the starry sky and the trees whiz by as the train ran around the track. Being the kid of a railfan also meant that summer vacations included one or more stops at a local train ride or train museum somewhere along our journey, wherever we went. SDC is still one place I haven't been, but someday hope to ride the train there.
Great video. I’ve always loved the train at Silver Dollar City.
One time, I talked to an old engineer who used to work for the Southern Railway during the last days of steam. He used to drive the old 2-8-2s and 2-10-2s. One day, he told me, he was driving one of the 2-8-2s, I think he said the number was 4676, when a car drove out in front of him. He tried to stop the train, blew the old 3-chime freight whistle as hard as he could, but he just couldn’t stop the train. He collided with the car at about 30 miles per hour. The car was destroyed, and the people inside were killed on impact. He told me that as he and the rest of the train crew were looking around, the fireman found a case in the car’s trunk full of smashed bottles of illegal moonshine.
Wow. what a story. not a good day for them.
I have actually rode the train and it is a lot of fun!
when i was a kid-our mall had a small train kids could ride-its so sad thats gone...
Love this video!
Great video as always! I promise I'm subscribed!
I love train
I know this is off topic, but train wise, I LOOOVE the train at Disneyland. Whenever my family goes, the last thing we do at the end of the day is ride the train around the entire park.
My nephew, who is five, watches train videos on RUclips, all day long. he would love train.
In December there was an incident where a lady jumped off to make a "very important phone call" it's all on video under Trevor Duff's YT
I hadnt seen that! I will have to go look it up
I'm going in 2 weeks! I can't wait! I have a couple of questions though.
1. Do they allow video on the train?
2. When you arrive at the station and want to ride again, do you just stay in your seat or do you have to get off and reboard?
1. yes they allow video on the train. I've shot video on it several times.
2. You have to get off the train and walk around through the line and station again to ride again.
@@SirWillow thanks for the heads up! I am making a story at Silver Dollar City and there are going to be scenes on the train as well as other Branson destinations. I will put your name in the Special Thanks of the credits for the episode.
I live in Sacramento. My neighbor is in preschool and absolutely loves trains.
You can really see how passionate you are about trains when you talk about them, you light up like a little kid Sir Willow!!
Thank you for the information about the engines.
have you ever been to a place called Tweetsie Railroad..it is in Boone N.C.. it is a pretty cool little park with a great train...
I haven't, but I have at least one viewer who used to work there.
You grew up in Ranch Cordova? I actually new what park you were talking about.
Yep! My dad actually still lives there. Cordova High grad of '88
Getting to play in the engine sounds really cool! As a kid I smashed some pennies at Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford in MI once and that was really cool. History repeating itself with the engineer is awesome!
If I ever had worked in your shoes, I can tell you exactly how long I'd have lasted!!!
When you tell these stories, you are happy and laugh at moments that make my teeth itch!
If the 'suggestion' to pull the orange cord happened once a day, I'll just figure it actually happened, oh say, once a week.
My Theme Park Career would have been . . . One Week.
Subscribed. Love your videos.
You mentioned safety alot. Thank goodness you didn't work on Revolution at Blackpool pleasure beach. The train re-enters the station at 30 mph and because it doesn't have air gates you have to stand behind the yellow line. People struggle with that. You can imagine the hell! They are also not allowed to launch it without people standing behind the yellow line so you can imagine the dispatch times too!
Christian Moss thats why i hate that ride prob be worse with icon i imagine.
Hi 👋 that's really cool trains at Sacramento park your childhood story.i love trains i have ho. Do you know why the Frisco Train retired
I haven't been on the train at SDC in a while, next time I do I will have a newfound appreciation for the work those people do.
I love these types of videos! Thank you for making these videos!!!!!
I've been on the train when people pull the cable for zero reason, I've been on the train when there have been actual emergencies and the cable was pulled, and I've been on the train when no one decides to be a dick and the ride continues like normal.
Yay! More guest stories!
Amazing video as always, and I love the SDC train its so much fun and I love hearing all the behind the scenes. Keep the videos coming!
I am pretty much 100% sure you ran into my former history teacher at some point lol. He LOVES trains and goes all around the country just to see certain trains.
i have a train story from when i operated the train at six flags great america when we were pulling into county fair train station we have to pass through this crossing were employees walked through well some gust decided to jump off into that area and walk way security was right their to catch him and kicked him out of the park
I love trains but not so much that you'd call me a foamer. Loved this video and all the stories about the train ride at SDC. Making me miss Branson now.
They do the same "all aboard" guest conductor thing on the train at the St. Louis Zoo. My son has done that like 12 times. Have you ever been to our zoo?
Train fanatic piping up for a min, I love trains mostly due to the power to weight ratio the fact that one locomotive can pull upto a half mile long train of cars (generally some can do more) is fascinating to me
"It does not blow the whistle, it is for medical emergencies only!" -FSDL Conductors
I wanna work on the train now...
Can i just say how much i love the opening sequence for these videos-put me in such a great mood! "do do da do..."
If any of your train enthusiast fans ever happen to be in the Montreal area they have a nice train museum there called Exporail. We too our son there it made his whole vacation.
I remember one time when I was 10 or 11 that we went to this Silverdollar city and I rode the train with my dad but I got to see all aboard and that was magnificent I loved it I also love the robbers that made me laugh
I was at Silver Dollar City the other night. The new light exhibit is absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere you look it’s lights.
My family and I got on the Train ride. Instead of Alphie and Ralphie there was a man telling the beautiful story of Jesus’ birth. I was thinking about you the whole time.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Why Did i Get Fired from Disneyland
Why did you get fired? I don't have a clue. What did you do?
(if you meant me, I was never fired from any job at a park. Check out the FAQ on my facebook page if you're wanting more details on that. lol)
I Spat on The Walt Disney Statue
What is the star on the left side of your blue tshirt
"Sherriff Department of Hazard County" It was a gift given to me by a friend who worked at the Dukes of Hazard store in Gatlinburg.
One time I had this inflatable minion from Despicable Me that my mom and I descided to take pictures of around the park, kind of like a Flat Stanley. While we were on the train, one of the robbers took him and used him in the show, it was hilarious. They named him "Bob" 😂 I love CDC, we travel to go there about 3-4 times a year from Dallas.
So... the last time I was at SDC was in *1976*... I hear it's changed a *bit* since then! ;)
We typically go to WDW because we have a family member who has to use a personal mobility device (lost the use of her legs) and WDW is very accessible - can you comment on the difference between WDW and SDC as far as accommodations goes? Would she be able to enjoy much at SDC? Or would she wind up on the sidelines all day? Thanks!
While there are a lot of hills at SDC, as long as she can get around (such as with a scooter) there's going to be a lot to do. Check which "festival" is happening when, but during their different festivals there is all sorts of entertainment and shows- more than you can usually do in a day. There are some rides that can make accomodations (carousel, the train, flooded mine, and possibly others) And there's lots of shopping, craftsmen to watch, and other things. Outside of Disney it's certainly one of the parks with a lot to do for people with disabilities in addition to the rides.
Thank you - we value your opinion, knowing that you have worked at both!
And thank you for sharing your stories, and insights; your channel is one our family favorites!
@@SirWillow the locomotive bounces because the ground below the tracks compress and as result it bounces but when it crosses a bridge over the river it stops bounceing while on the bridge
George you are so savage xD
thanks again sir I'm catching up on your videos I enjoy the story's but a can believe how unconvicted people are of all races but at least you helped people ..we have a steam train I like the smell and smoke but it's a shame people have know idea and pennies AWS I've done that but
but here my state is ripping up the old track's to make walking trails it fun and you can bike take dog or blade but you see so much it's fun but thanks again and what's a patriot and what's the name of your church
New Hope Church (Assembly of God) in Crane, MO
Did safety kid guy who jumped off get kicked out the park?
Eyyyyyy
At 3:42 I DIED OF LAUGHTER LOL
Did you ever have an actual medical emergency on the train?
Never mind, I read farther into the comments and see that this has been answered :)
Do you still work at SDC
Jeeze I don't have the guts to jump out of a moving train. I barely like moving/walking on basic state transit trains, and I don't ever risk going from car to car. The only people allowed to jump off trains are stunt people. You should have used that line. Are you filming an action movie? No? Then plant it firmly in your seat and stay there until we fully are stopped!
Sub box broke
yeah, I think so. it dropped 10 from this morning on my page, which would be highly unlikely the way it's gone. really odd.
i'm still counting 25k, even if youtube's counter is being whacky. lol
Did you ever have a real medical emergency on the train?
Personally as a conductor I didn't. But we did have one when I was a robber one time that we assisted with. And my other conductors did. But the only ones I really had were either at the station or not ones I was directly involved with. I talk about them in a couple of my older videos.
SirWillow will you link the video? Thank you!
The first one I mention a couple of them is "That's Not Supposed to Happen- Silver Dollar City" ruclips.net/video/hgVOJh1ehoM/видео.html I also tell some "non medical" stories there as well.
I also mention a few in "Not All Moments are Good Moments" (way back in episode 9!) ruclips.net/video/EJTTifPMmn8/видео.html
This one talks about more of them in "Injuries and Illnesses" : ruclips.net/video/GfuuGwJKZSk/видео.html
Excellent video I'm in collecting trains for a long time I am 22 years old and I am a live steam fanatic. I have to look and motives of my own they are gasoline-powered engines. I like your videos about the trains that's what I do I collect them and I work on them I even have a model railroad I work on. If you ever going to do more on trains please do so you know check out my channel if you can or do a shout out sometime
Wow, neat channel you've got! Love the miniature train sets! I subscribed. :-)